電気通信大学 AE2Y I: 7/9 board notes・7月9日のボードノート

Hello! 

How are you? Above are the board notes for our classes on 7/9. 

If you want to see the AE2Y I final presentation assignment post again without searching around for it, click here for it.

Here are some more notes below for all of you on summary writing, presenting,  and composition writing: 

I hope these notes can help you as you finish your presentations and compositions. 

See you next week!

Images: Personal photographs and screenshots of original Word documents. All rights reserved.

電気通信大学 AE2Y I: 7/2 board notes・7月2日のボードノート

Hello! 

How are you? Above are the board notes for our classes on 7/2. 

If you would like to see the AE2Y I final presentation assignment post without searching around for it, click here for it.

Here are some more notes below for all of you: 

More on outlining
While once again an outline is optional for all of you - you do not have to make one if you feel you do not need it - above is a rough schema of an outline (あらすじ). 

Now below is an example of a finished outline, with keywords and key phrases. Take a look at this and make it bigger. 

So if you want to make an outline, see how you could structure an outline about your presentation topic: 

Now here is the same example, without the notes in red.

I hope this example can help you with the structuring of your outline if you choose to make one. 

See you next week!

Images: Personal photographs and screenshots of original Word documents. All rights reserved.

電気通信大学 AE2Y I: Spring semester final presentation & writing assignment・前学期期末プレゼンテーション・作文

Hello!

How are you? Today I will show you our spring semester final presentation & writing assignment. 

But first - here are the board notes from today (6/25). I made the same notes for both AE2Y I classes and the ASE I class in the 1st period: 

Congratulations on a job well done on the 2nd presentations!

Topic & task

Think about a problem or controversy (問題、議論) in an area of science or technology – for example, a problem in research, or technological application - and prepare a short presentation, with a written reaction, about it. 

You can choose to make a one-sided reaction, or two-sided argument, for the problem or controversy. 

Here are some examples of some problems or controversies:

• False data in the research of Haruko Obokata and the trouble of her research institute 
• The use – and misuse – of private data by social media companies such as Facebook
• The ways in which social media has spread fake news and other false information
• The pros and cons of internet access by children and younger people
• Earthquake building construction in Japan and whether it is good enough
• The Fukushima nuclear disaster of March 11, 2011 and the technical response to it

You do not have to limit yourself to one of these topics – but these are good examples of problems or controversies in science and technology.




This time, write a little more than before: A separate, short 3-5 (or more) paragraph reaction about the same topic. 

This time as well, I would like you to go deeper into your reaction in both your presentation and composition: A reaction should look deeper, under the easy arguments made for or against something. A reaction looks at facts, and separates what is true from what is not true in a critical way. 

Guidelines

Like before, you have a choice of making an A3-sized poster or short Power Point display. We will use the same guidelines as we did in the presentations we have done so far this semester.

Deadline (締め切り) 

We will do these in two (2) steps. 

The presentations will be on July 16th (7/16), and the final composition will be due the week after on July 23rd (7/23). 

So in total, you have three (3) weeks to do these. 

Good luck! I look forward to seeing, and reading about, your arguments and reactions to your choices of topics.

Image by Senado Federal - Fake News, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=71710423.

電気通信大学 ASE・AE2Y I: Final notes・最後の付記

Hello!

How are you? Here are all the notes for both the ASE and AE2Y I classes today on 6/18. The notes above are for all of you who are in the ASE I class. 

As all of you in the AE2Y class can see, the notes for the class aren't so different, though you are doing a different theme with different topics from it. Here they are:

Final tips for presentations displays (ASE & AE2Y I) 

As I mentioned to all of you in class today, here are two (2) important things I would like all of you to try for in the design and writing on your displays:

1. Cut out as many of the grammar words as you can in your text writing for your displays (such as be-verbs, articles [the, a, an], or even prepositions [such as on, in, over, under, and so on] and connectors [like and or then]). 

The lexical words - especially nouns (名詞) - are the ones that carry the most meaning, and that you can best speak the most from. These are the kinds of words you should have on your displays.

Your written text should be as short and to the point as possible - key words and key phrases, and whenever possible, one line of text for any bulleted point - at most, two lines.

The purpose of keeping your written text as short as possible is to push you to speak about your topic instead of reading from notes, or reading from your display.

2. When showing any text with visual content (such as photographs, illustrations, diagrams, schema, charts, models, and so on) - write only keywords and key phrases to go with it. Do not let the writing compete with the picture! The picture - whatever kind it is - should be the more important thing. 

Whenever you can, only show the visual content with no text - especially if it is very powerful and interesting in itself. There is an expression in English - "every picture tells a story." If the picture - whatever kind it is - can stand alone to show exactly what you want to point out within your presentation, then let it stand alone so you can talk about it. 

Final tips for summary and composition writing (AE2Y I)
Here is a screenshot of a sample format for how your summary and composition should be formatted. 

This is what it should look like. Touch on your screen or look at it on a computer to see it larger: 

I hope all these notes can help you. 

See you next week! 

Images: Personal photographs & screenshot of personal composition format example. All rights reserved. 

電気通信大学 AE2Y I: Topic 2 presentation & writing assignment

Hello!

How are you? Today I will introduce our second  (2nd)  presentation & writing assignment - a two-sided argument, with a written reaction, comparing and contrasting key inventions or discoveries in science and technology and some problems or issues with them. 

Look at the picture above. It's the NeXT computer that Tim Berners-Lee used to create the first web server in 1991. With this, the World Wide Web began. 

The invention of the personal computer, as well as the creations of the World Wide Web and the Internet, are three of the great breakthroughs of technology in the late 20th century. But these inventions have come with problems that are developing now, and that some people are worried are having a negative impact on societies around the world. 

You have a choice of two (2) topics to choose from. Choose one (1) of them.

Topics & tasks

1. Select two inventions or discoveries in a similar area of science or technology – for example, in mathematics, or engineering, or any area of science or technology – and compare and contrast the two inventions or discoveries in the same area. 

Which do you feel has had the bigger impact - for better or worse? Have there been any problems or issues with either of them that has caused one to have a greater positive (or negative) impact? 

Make a two-sided argument for which invention or discovery you believe overall has had the greater positive - or negative - impact in the world. 

Along with this, write a separate, short 3-4 paragraph reaction about the same topic comparing & contrasting the two inventions or discoveries. Please type your reaction on a Word document. 

2. Select two scientists or inventors in a similar area of science or technology – for example, two physicists, or two key persons in IT, or any area of science or technology – and compare and contrast the two persons in the same area. 

Which one do you feel has made the greater achievement? Which person has been more problematic or controversial (議論いなる )? 

Make a two-sided argument for which person you believe overall has had the greater impact - or has been the more problematic or controversial - in the world. 

Along with this, write a separate, short 3-4 paragraph reaction about the same topic comparing & contrasting the two people. Please type your reaction on a Word document.  

Guidelines

Like before, you have a choice of making an A3-sized poster or short Power Point display. We will use the same guidelines as we did in our first presentations.

Deadline (締め切り) 

We will do these on June 25th (6/25), so you have two (2) weeks to do these. 

Here are the board notes for our class on 6/11:

Good luck! I look forward to seeing, and reading about, your reactions within your choices of topics. 

See you next week!

Image: Top - by Coolcaesar at the English language Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=395096/Board notes - personal photographs. All rights reserved.

電気通信大学 AE2Y I: Dilemmas of AI (from 2001: A Space Odyssey)・AIのジレンマ「2001年宇宙の旅から」

Hello!

How are you? As I mentioned in class today, here is a post about an example of AI (artificial intelligence) gone wrong - in this case, as imagined in a movie.

In 1968, the film 2001: A Space Odyssey was released. In Japan, it was known as 2001年宇宙の旅. Even now, it is one of the greatest science-fiction films ever made. In it, one of the main characters is a supercomputer called the HAL 9000. The picture at the top is the camera of the HAL 9000.

In the story, the HAL 9000 is the greatest supercomputer ever built. It can speak with humans with a human voice; play - and beat - humans at chess; find and understand human emotions; and manage the air supply and other functions of the space station the human astronauts in the story work and do their research on.

But there are some problems that the astronauts find with "Hal," as they call the computer...

Homework

Watch these short film clips from the movie. 

1. Here is the first one - in it, the two main astronauts, named Dave and Frank, are talking about what to do with the problems that Hal is showing. They go to a safe place where they don't think Hal can hear them.

How does Hal know what they're talking about? 

If for any reason you have trouble seeing the clip above, go to this link here. It will take you directly to YouTube.

2. Here is the next clip. Frank goes out of a spacecraft released from the space station. Hal is in control of the spacecraft functions. What happens to Frank? 

If you have any trouble seeing the clip above, go to this link to see it on YouTube.

3. Here is the clip after that. Dave wants to know what is happening. What is Hal's response? 

If you have any trouble seeing it here, click this link to go to YouTube.

4. Here is the last clip. What does Dave do with Hal? 

If you have any trouble seeing this clip, go to YouTube from this link. 

I hope you find this interesting. If you like science-fiction films, I highly recommend this one - even though it's very long! 

Here are the board notes for our class on 6/4:

See you next class!

Image: Screenshot of image by Cryteria - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11651154

Board notes - personal photograph. All rights reserved.
Video clips uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to the clips or the excerpts from the film they are derived. All rights reserved to the copyright holder(s). Uploaded for classroom use only. 

電気通信大学 AE2Y I: Origins of the internet・インターネットのもと

Hello!
 

How are you? Here is a short video about the origins of the internet, to go further with your reading today. 

Activity/homework
Watch the video below. Watch it as many times as you want or need. Connect the video to what you have read, or are reading. 

(If you have any trouble watching it here, go to the link here or look for "What is the Internet?" on YouTube or copy and paste this URL - https://youtu.be/Dxcc6ycZ73M)

Here are the board notes for today's (5/28) class:

See you next time!

Image: By W.Rebel - Own work, CC BY 3.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=11702269

Video uploaded from YouTube. I do not own the rights to the content. All rights reserved to the copyright owners. Uploaded for classroom use only. 

電気通信大学 ASE & AE2Y I: Final notes・最後の付記

Hello!

How are you? Here are some final notes for all of you in the ASE and AE2Y I classes. 

Above are the lesson board notes for today's classes. Below are the supporting board notes for both classes today, with some extra supporting notes for the AE2Y I class only. But first - if you would like a refresher on the post for our class today about the summary review and notes on outlines, click here.  

Take a look at these!

ASE & AE2Y I:

For anybody who still needs to check their summary drafts outside the classes, look at the note above about self-checking your summaries. 

Special note for ASE I: 
My apologies to all of you - there was one thing I should have reminded all of you today that I forgot! That is - on your displays, you should also put your summaries! 

So have a section on the poster where you write your summary in small, but clearly readable print. 

But remember to also write your final drafts of your summaries on the top part of the handout page with the classmates' evaluation page! This page you will cut out and hand in to me after we are finished with the presentations!

This means you are writing the summary twice (2 times) - one time on a section of the poster, then the exact same summary one time again on the handout page with the classmates' evaluation. It is of course the same summary of the topic - no different!

Sorry about this!

I highly recommend that all of you keep practicing your spoken presentation delivery outside of the classes, and to practice with each other and help each other with encouragement and advice. 

Take a look at the note below: 

Now the following notes are for the AE2Y I classes only!

AE2Y I:

Extra notes:

My apologies to all of you in the AE2Y I classes - there was one thing I forgot to remind all of you about today.

On your displays, you should also put your summaries! 

If you are making a small poster:

Have a section on the poster where you write your summary in small, but clearly readable print. 

If you are making a Power Point/KeyNote show:

The same goes for any Power Point or KeyNote displays - your second (2nd) slide after the title slide should have the summary, like this: 

Summary slide (Write your final draft of your summary here on the slide, in a 12-point size font) - 例えば：

Summary 

There have been many great partnerships, as well as rivalries, in the history of science and technology. Perhaps no rivalry was greater than that between Thomas Edison and Nikola Tesla. While both figures are crucial in the development of the practical application of electricity to everyday life, this presentation/report will show that Edison may have been the greater figure given the numerous applications of electricity he made possible through his inventions. (71 words)

Important note:

Now please also have the same summary on your written composition (作文)! This means you are writing the summary twice (2 times) - one time on a section of the poster (if you are doing a poster) or one time on the second (2nd) slide of your slideshow (if you are doing a Power Point or KeyNote show) for 5/21, then one time again on your written composition paper for 5/28. 

In both cases - either for poster presenters or slideshow presenters - then copy the same summary onto your writing report. 

You do not have to change the summary! Copy it on your written report the way you had written it on your poster or slideshow. 

So I hope these final notes can help you for next week! 

One more reminder for AE2Y I students: We'll do the presentations next week on 5/21 - then hand in the written compositions on 5/28! 

One more reminder for all students in both ASE and AE2Y I: You don't have to make an outline if you don't want to - but you will find it will help you with speaking from keywords and key phrases - so you might want to try it (but you don't have to)!

I'll see all of you in ASE and AE2Y I next week with your great presentations!

Take care!

Images: Personal photographs. All rights reserved.